Contents
The whole test in one table
39
listening questions
39
reading questions
3
written tasks in 60 min
12 min
facing an examiner
| Section | Content | Time | Scoring |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Listening | 39 multiple-choice questions | 35 min | 100–699 |
| 2. Reading | 39 multiple-choice questions | 60 min | 100–699 |
| 3. Writing | 3 tasks | 60 min | 0–20 |
| 4. Speaking | 3 tasks with an examiner | 12 min | 0–20 |
All four are compulsory for the TCF Canada, and IRCC needs a result in each. If you are still choosing a version of the test, start with what TCF means.
Listening: 35 minutes without a safety net
You hear recordings — announcements, conversations, interviews, radio extracts — and answer 39 multiple-choice questions. Each recording plays once. The first questions cover simple everyday situations; the last ones cover long, abstract, sometimes ironic speech.
- Read the four options before the recording whenever you can: they tell you what to listen for.
- Listen for intent, not only words: offering, refusing, criticising, apologising.
- Be suspicious of a word you heard verbatim in an option — that is usually the trap.
Reading: a 60-minute marathon
39 questions on written documents: classified ads, emails, press articles, argumentative or literary texts. Difficulty rises through the section, and the last questions are what separate CLB 7 from CLB 9.
| Questions | Time to spend | Goal |
|---|---|---|
| 1 to 15 | ≈ 12 min | Speed: do not read an easy text twice |
| 16 to 29 | ≈ 20 min | Precision: spot connectors and nuance |
| 30 to 39 | ≈ 25 min | Depth: long texts, implied meaning |
| Reserve | ≈ 3 min | Revisit the answers you doubted |
Writing: three texts, three registers
| Task | What you are asked | Length |
|---|---|---|
| Task 1 | A message to describe, tell or explain (invite a friend, warn a neighbour) | 60 to 120 words |
| Task 2 | An article, email or post telling an experience and commenting on it | 120 to 150 words |
| Task 3 | Compare two points of view, then give your own | 120 to 180 words (≈ 40–60 summary + 80–120 opinion) |
Model answers and the structure that earns points are in TCF Canada writing topics.
Speaking: 12 minutes that count double
| Task | Format | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Task 1 — guided interview | You talk about yourself: background, plans, interests. No preparation. | 2 min |
| Task 2 — interaction | You ask the examiner questions to get information in a given situation. | 5 min 30 (incl. 2 min preparation) |
| Task 3 — point of view | You give and defend an opinion. No preparation. | 4 min 30 |
Why "count double"? Because speaking is usually the weakest skill of candidates who read and write well but rarely talk. And for programmes asking a level in all four skills, the weakest one decides everything. Topics and model answers: TCF Canada speaking topics.
Felix Academy practice packs
Practise all four sections in the real format
Every series mirrors this structure: 39 + 39 questions, 3 written tasks, 3 speaking tasks, with answer keys.
- 40 full series: listening, reading, writing, speaking
- Audio transcripts and detailed answer keys
- Writing and speaking topics with model answers
- AI writing simulator (15 sessions)
Newsletter
One email a week to pass the TCF
Join 2,000+ candidates who get our weekly current-affairs topics and exam tips.
No spam. Unsubscribe in one click.
Frequently asked questions
What are the four sections of the TCF Canada?
Listening (39 questions, 35 min), reading (39 questions, 60 min), writing (3 tasks, 60 min) and speaking (3 tasks, 12 min).
How many words do I have to write in the TCF Canada?
Task 1: 60 to 120 words. Task 2: 120 to 150 words. Task 3: 120 to 180 words, of which roughly 40 to 60 words summarise the two documents and 80 to 120 give your own opinion.
Are listening recordings played twice?
No. In the TCF Canada each recording is played once, which is why reading the options first and never lingering on a missed question matter so much.
Can I choose my sections in the TCF Canada?
No, all four are compulsory. It is the TCF Québec that lets you take only the sections your programme requires.
Official sources
About the author
Akono Germy
TCF & TEF Canada coach — method and production skills
Coaches Felix Academy candidates for TCF and TEF Canada on exam method, writing and speaking.
Did this article help?
Comments(0)
